Chopat
A traditional Indian cross and circle board game.
Chopat is a cross and circle board game played in India, very similar to pachisi. It is a variation of the game of dice played in the epic poem Mahabharata between Yudhishthira and Duryodhan. The game is traditionally played on an embroidered cloth board with wooden pawns and seven cowry shells used to determine moves.
- Also known as
- Chaupar, chopad, chaupad, pagade
- Type
- Cross and circle board game
- Number of players
- 2 to 4
- Equipment
- Embroidered cloth board, wooden pawns, seven cowry shells
- Related games
- Pachisi, Parcheesi, Ludo, Gyan chauper
- Origin
- India
Lore & Background
Chopat is closely related to the game of dice described in the Mahabharata, where Yudhishthira and Duryodhan played a similar game. While some have suggested links to the Iron Age Painted Grey Ware period, direct evidence of chaupar-like boards from that era at Mathura is not confirmed. The relationship between pachisi and chaupar is debated, with many scholars considering pachisi to be the older form.
Famous legends surround the game. One tale tells of a king who used two trained mice, Sundari and Mundari, to secretly move pieces while distracting opponents with stories. Another legend recounts Raja Rasalu playing chaupar with Raja Sirkap and winning his kingdom.
The game is played in a bantering style, with players mocking each other or making noises to distract opponents. A player who fails to knock out at least one opponent's pawn by the end of the game loses with a 'bay-thoree', considered the most disgraceful form of losing.
Reader's Guide
Chopat holds significance as a traditional Indian game that predates and influenced the more widely known Pachisi, Parcheesi, and Ludo. Its rules and playing style reflect cultural practices, including the use of cowry shells as dice and the bantering, distracting behavior common among players. The game's structure—with safe squares, knock-out rules, and the requirement to kill at least one opponent's pawn before bringing pieces home—creates strategic depth. Games can last from 30 minutes to many hours, and technically can never end if players perform 'Alkhee' moves. The game is played either by two opponents or by two pairs of partners sitting opposite each other. Chopat's legacy includes derivations such as Gyan chauper and Ludo, showing its lasting influence on board game design.
Did You Know?
- The game uses seven cowry shells to determine moves, with scoring based on how many shells face up or down.
- A player who fails to knock out any opponent's pawn by game end loses with a 'bay-thoree', the most disgraceful loss.
- The board is traditionally an embroidered cloth in the shape of a cross, with each arm divided into three columns of eight squares.
- If a player gets three consecutive high throws, they 'burn' up and lose a turn.
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